Dalton Rushing will catch Shohei Ohtani's Friday start
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed Dalton Rushing will catch Shohei Ohtani's Friday pitching start against the San Diego Padres while Will Smith recovers from a neck injury. After a viral Minnesota miscommunication, the battery then delivered a smoother outing in a 7-3 Dodgers win Friday night.
The pairing drew national attention after Ohtani became visibly frustrated with Rushing during a June 24 start in Minneapolis. With Smith sidelined indefinitely, Los Angeles had little choice but to stick with the battery and let them work through the spotlight. For fans tracking streaming and TV alerts, Friday's rematch was the must-watch Dodgers game of the week.
Key Takeaways
- Roberts confirmed Rushing would catch Ohtani on Friday, July 3, against the Padres.
- The duo struggled in Minnesota on June 24, but Ohtani threw seven innings in a 7-3 Dodgers win.
- Ohtani owns a 4.34 ERA in three starts with Rushing versus 0.74 ERA with Smith.
- Mookie Betts and Max Muncy called the Minnesota tension a learning moment for the rookie catcher.
- Ohtani's start was pushed back two days from Sacramento for rest and a tougher pre-All-Star schedule.
Will Dalton Rushing catch Shohei Ohtani on Friday?
Yes. Roberts told reporters Thursday that Ohtani would be in the lineup for his mound start Friday and that Rushing would be his catcher, according to ESPN. The decision came after Roberts had sounded undecided following the Minnesota outing.
With Smith out for an undetermined stretch because of a neck injury, the Dodgers need stability behind the plate. Roberts said he believes Ohtani and Rushing will be more in sync than in their last start together, adding that a catcher's job is to serve the pitcher.
Why did Ohtani and Rushing struggle in Minnesota?
Eight days before Friday's start, Ohtani and Rushing could not get on the same page in Minneapolis. ESPN reported visible irritation over pitch selection, passivity on ABS challenges, and a crossup that contributed to a rough inning. Ohtani eventually began calling his own pitches from the third inning onward.
Rushing accepted blame afterward, calling the outing embarrassing and saying he needed dugout support from Roberts and Freddie Freeman. On the On Base podcast, Mookie Betts and Max Muncy framed the moment as growth for a young catcher learning to trust an elite pitcher's feel over the scouting report.
How did the Dodgers battery perform against the Padres?
By Friday night, the storyline had shifted. The Los Angeles Times reported that Ohtani and Rushing appeared back in sync during a 7-3 victory at Dodger Stadium. Ohtani worked seven innings on 110 pitches, struck out nine, and allowed three runs.
Teoscar Hernandez's go-ahead grand slam powered the comeback, and the Dodgers improved to 58-31. The steadier outing offered relief for a club navigating Smith's absence and Ohtani's left-knee maintenance.
Where can fans watch Ohtani's next Dodgers starts?
Friday's game was the second contest of a four-game home set against San Diego. Roberts said Ohtani's outing was moved from a Wednesday start in Sacramento so he could face the Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks before the All-Star break rather than the Athletics and Rockies.
Roberts also told reporters Thursday that Ohtani was feeling better every day after knee issues that forced him to miss a game. Dodgers fans should keep an eye on official team broadcasts and national MLB listings for upcoming Ohtani pitching dates as the All-Star break approaches on July 14.